Secrets and Surprises
by Skyson
Summary: Skye wants to do something good for Coulson, and asks for help from Tony Stark... all while keeping him in the dark about the true owner of the 1962 red Corvette.
1. Step One

**A/N: **I love the relationship between Skye, Coulson, and Lola. And was I the only one who cried a little when Ward and Deathlok shot up Lola? Also I was watching Iron Man 3 earlier today, and remembered how Tony is frequently referred to as "The Mechanic". I imagined Skye would use that codename to her advantage, and it went from there.

* * *

Skye sat in the office chair, spinning around in lazy circles, as Simmons spoke to her about some biological substance that they had found on their last op. Skye tried to be attentive and responsive in the conversation, but it was hard for her to understand half of what Simmons said.

"And - I'm sorry, Skye, I know what I'm saying probably doesn't even sound like English to you," Simmons trailed off, apologetic, and Skye whirled around to face her.

"No, no, don't worry! I'm just sorry I can't be a _real_ help to you." Skye said, and Simmons offered her a quick smile.

"I know that you've been spending a lot more time with me just because of Fitz, and I appreciate that, but you don't have to sit in the lab all the time. I'm okay, really. Especially now that Fitz is on the mend." Simmons promised her, and Skye offered her a sheepish smile.

"I care about you, Jemma," Skye told her softly, standing. Simmons' smile widened and she set down her instrument to move toward Skye and give her a hug.

"Thank you, Skye," Simmons told her. "I'm okay here in the lab." Skye nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before leaving the room.

Lately, Simmons had been spending a lot of her time working in the lab on the Bus. She told Skye one evening that it didn't feel right working in a brand new place without Fitz with her, so she rarely used the fully functional lab in the Playground.

Lola and the Mini-Bus were still resting on the loading bay dock as well, and Skye still slipped into the SUV when she needed some of her own "me-time". As she walked between the vehicles, she gave a sad look toward Lola.

Busy trying to build up SHIELD 2.0 and weed out Hydra operatives, Coulson hadn't yet had the time to repair his second-most prized collectible. Lola sat, now with a small layer of dust, still riddled with bullet holes and broken glass. Skye reached out and carefully touched the passenger side door. She felt guilty. It was Coulson's one-man rescue mission for her that put Lola in this condition, and as usual, Coulson wouldn't allow any of the SHIELD mechanics to go anywhere near her.

"We'll get you fixed up, old girl," Skye promised the car, giving it a gentle pat before walking out of the Bus, heading toward the hall that led to their offices.

That was another thing. Skye had her very own office now - more than just the back of her van. A real office with a door, a desk, and bookshelves. Hers were sparse, nothing like Coulson's, which he had set up to resemble the office he had on the plane. Her hula girl was still there, though, propped up on a shelf just behind her head.

Skye let out a heavy sigh as she sat down in her chair, tapping the keyboard to bring up her desktop screen. She stared at it for a moment, Lola's broken glass still in her mind. Coulson didn't have time to work on her, but Skye had loads of free time... a vague idea forming in her head, Skye stood up and quickly headed toward May's office.

She knocked on the door before she opened it, something she had learned to do very early on.

"Yes, Skye?" May asked as pleasantly as May could sound. Skye shut the door behind her when she entered, and May raised her eyebrow slightly. Knowing that this was not going be a quick question-and-answer discussion, she pulled away from her computer and turned to face Skye fully as the younger woman sat down in one of the chairs across from her.

"I have a question about Lola." Skye said, and May's eyebrow raised higher.

"Coulson's car? What about it?"

"Where did he get it? I mean, I remember him telling me that she had been a gift from Fury. Something like a" Skye lowered her voice, "'welcome back from the dead, sorry I brought you back to life against your wishes, oh, and caused you extreme mental and physical pain' kind of gift."

"You aren't resentful toward Director Fury at all, are you?" May mused, and Skye folded her arms across her chest and scoffed. "You're right," May continued, "Fury did give the car to Coulson. You know how Phil likes his collectibles."

Skye's mouth twitched into a frown, but she quickly hid it. _How come May gets to call him Phil?_

"If you're wondering where Fury got it, I can't answer that. Maria Hill probably could." May told her, and Skye perked up.

"Hill? How can I get into contact with her?" She asked, and May looked amused again.

"You aren't just going to hack your way in?" She teased, and Skye did frown this time.

"I've got standards." She retorted, adding under her breath, "now." May gave her a questioning look.

"Why do you want to know so much about the car?" She asked, and Skye shifted in her seat.

"Well, since Coulson has been so busy lately, and Lola's just sitting there all beat up, I figured I could get her fixed up for him." She said quietly, speaking quickly, and May looked surprised.

"You do realize there is _one_ SHIELD mechanic that Coulson trusts with Lola - if it's not himself working on her. And that mechanic is busy trying to help rebuild our task force vehicles." May informed her, and Skye frowned, disappointed.

"Well... can I at least call Hill, figure something out?" Skye asked, and when May narrowed her eyes slightly, Skye sighed and rushed, "I just want to do something for him. And I feel like this could be a _huge_ thing. I mean, you've seen him."

May sighed, nodding with agreement. Coulson didn't join in on the team's game nights anymore, not even when they played Call of Duty. He didn't always eat meals with them either, and when he did, he hardly ever smiled. Any smirk on his face is superficial; more for the benefit of them than actual amusement or happiness on his part.

"It would make him pretty happy to see his car fixed up. It might give him hope that SHIELD is still fixable, too." May admitted, and she pulled out her cell phone. "I'm sending you her contact information now. I'll warn you that she's head of security now at Stark Enterprises. You have to be discreet - "

"As in _Tony Stark_?!" Skye exclaimed with wide eyes, and May gave her a look. Skye bit her lip and slouched down into her seat. "Discretion. My middle name." She said, and May barked out a laugh.

"If you can even get her to talk with you in the first place, I'll be impressed." May told her, turning her chair back toward her computer. "If by chance, she does agree to speak with you, do not mention Coulson's name. She knows that he's alive, obviously, but no one else does. She knows Phil even better than I do - if there's another person out there that he trusts with his car, she'll be able to tell you."

Skye nodded, thanking May and slipping out of the room. _Knowing 'Phil' even better than May does? I didn't think anyone could know Coulson more than May._ Skye refused to acknowledge that it was jealousy she was feeling.

... ... ...

Turns out, it didn't take much to keep hold of Maria's attention. She recognized Skye from Coulson's 'rag tag team of misfits', and perked up at the mention of 'Lola the car'.

"Ah, Lola. Does he still do that thing where he runs his hand along the fender when he walks past?" Maria asked, amusement lacing her voice, and Skye laughed and nodded.

"Yeah! I'm like, 'Do the two of you want to be alone?'" They shared a laugh, and Skye asked her if she knew where Fury had gotten the car.

"Oh, yeah," Maria replied, "it's sort of a 'passage of the flag' from Director to Director. It was built back when SHIELD was first formed, and given as a gift to the first Director. It went from there."

"Wow. Seriously a SHIELD original, then." Skye said, impressed, and Maria laughed.

"Don't tell me you're into the collectables thing too?"

"No," Skye told her, "Just Lola." _And maybe Coulson._

"Well, I know Howard Stark designed the thing. Unfortunately, he's dead. And the one man Phil trusts to work on the car - "

"Busy," Skye interrupted, "Yeah. I know." She let out a frustrated breath of air. There was silence over the phone, until Skye said, "Wait a minute. Stark."

"No." Maria said immediately, sounding both very amused and a little terrified. "I hope Phil doesn't know that you even considered that thought. He and Stark's relationship is infamous. No _way_ he'd let that guy touch his car."

"Well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" Skye said cheekily, and there was a moment of silence.

"Does Phil know that you're calling me about fixing up his car?" Maria asked her, and Skye huffed. _Phil_.

"No, he doesn't." Skye told her. "It's supposed to be a surprise."

"_I'm_ surprised that you have the gumption to attempt this." Maria sounded a little impressed.

"He trusts me."

"Really." Maria sounded like she didn't believe her. "He won't after he's found out _Stark_ messed with his favorite toy."

"I figure _Stark_ is the only one left who is able to _fix it_ without screwing anything else up." Skye pointed out. "The VTOL system is powered by the same sort of stuff his suits are, is it not? Besides, doesn't he have a thing for classics, too? I think he'll take good care of it. I won't let him do otherwise."

"Let's say we do get Stark to work on the car. What are we going to tell him?" Maria lowered her voice a little, "Phil is dead, for all intents and purposes. That cannot change. Not yet." Skye realized that Maria was calling him 'Phil' because she was probably in her office, and 'Coulson' was certainly a recognizable name.

"Don't worry about that. I'm great at fake identities, remember, and it'll be all me. AC won't be involved at all. Like I said; a surprise." Skye assured her.

"AC?" Maria repeated under her breath, and Skye imagined that she was shaking her head. "Alright," Maria sighed, "I'll see what I can do. You know, you must seriously be someone important to him, for him to put Lola in such a dangerous position during an op."

"I - I just want to thank him. And I feel bad; like a part of it is my fault." Skye stammered.

"I'll talk with Pepper, set up a meeting time for you. Can I reach you at this number?" Maria asked, her suspicious tone waning.

"Yes. Thank you," Skye said sincerely.

"I make no promises." Maria told her before hanging up. Skye set the phone down on her desk and leaned back in her chair. A slow smile spread across her face, and she punched her fist in the air.

First step, taken. Now she just had to pray that Tony would agree to meet with her. _Tony freaking Stark. Holy crap!_ She let out a little squeal.

"Beat your high score on Solitaire?" Coulson mused from the doorway, making her jump.

"How long have you been there?" She exclaimed, holding her hands to her chest. He looked amused as he entered her office, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Not long," He gave her a little smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Skye smiled back, though, because maybe if she showed him enough happiness, he'd remember how to really express his own. "I just wanted your opinion on Simmons. How's she doing?" Skye frowned slightly and leaned back into her seat, raising her eyebrow as she looked up at him.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Skye mused, and Coulson rocked on his heels, still looking comfortable as if they were talking about the recent basketball game scores.

"You're better at reading people than I am," Coulson told her honestly, "And I'm her commanding officer. She'll feel necessary to tell me that she's fine, even if she isn't." Skye sighed, relaxing and gesturing toward the chair across from her. He sat and crossed his legs, smoothing his hand down his tie.

_Cool as a cucumber, that's AC._

"She's getting better. She'll be best once Fitz is up and moving around a bit. And I understand that she's uncomfortable working in the lab here, but I wish that she would get out of the Bus, more..." Skye bit her lip, looking at her boss. _I wish you'd get out of your office, more. Spend time with your team, again._

"Fitz is getting better day by day," Coulson said positively, and Skye nodded in agreement.

"That's a relief. Think it'll be awkward once they're together again?" Skye smirked, and Coulson frowned.

"Hopefully not. I'm not sure I'm ... happy... with their circumstance." He admitted, and Skye sat up straight, giving him a look.

"What, you mean that they love each other?" She asked, her tone a little more biting than she intended. He frowned and glanced away, squeezing his fingers together. She knew that was a tell that he was uncomfortable.

"That's not..." He sighed. "It's not a good idea for agents who work together to be in a romantic relationship. There are too many factors. Too many distractions. Too much that could go wrong. May and Ward..."

"Ward was a _Nazi_. _Fitz_ is not." Skye interrupted him, and Coulson was almost glaring at her.

"That's not the point! Being a SHIELD agent is dangerous, especially now. Worrying about your significant other in the field is the quickest way to get yourself hurt."

"But how are you going to have anything to fight for if you don't let yourself love?" Skye retorted, and Coulson opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. He seemed to deflate, but Skye knew his opinion hadn't changed. He stood, and didn't look at her as he moved toward the door.

"I'm immensely pleased that FitzSimmons seem to have finally realized what greatness they could have together. I _am_ happy for that," Coulson told her quietly, stopping at the door and turning to look at her. "But I know what Fitz will be thinking about every time Simmons is out gathering evidence, research. I know what he'll be thinking when she gets hurt." Coulson was looking at her intensely, and Skye just stared back. "Even if it's subconsciously, it will still be there. The worry. The fear. And I wouldn't ask that for anyone." He disappeared, and Skye blinked.

_What just happened?_

_... ... ..._


	2. Step Two

**A/N: **I wrote the entire thing in one day, so I'm posting it all at once. It's an easier read if I break it up into chapters, though. Now that I've got this idea out of my system, I can get back to "GH-325"...

**A/N.2: **Thanks to Sarkanybaby for pointing out a mistake I had made in the first chapter, I went back and tried to fix it up a little.

* * *

Maria called Skye two days later, setting up a time to meet at Stark Enterprises. This is just an interview; for Pepper to speak with her and the three of them meet face to face.

Pepper was curious as to where Skye got her hands on such a car, and Skye said that she "won it fair and square in a bet with an old SHIELD agent". Pepper raised her eyebrow toward Maria, who shrugged.

"Not all of our agents are perfect," She said, and Pepper seemed more appeased, knowing that if Maria was suspicious, she would handle the situation. She told Skye that she would make sure Tony set some time aside to meet with Skye and look over the car.

After Skye left, Maria told Pepper that she was clean.

"Everything checks out, and I've seen the car with my own two eyes. It's a beautiful machine, not a setup, and I really think Mr Stark would love to get his hands on it." Hill assured her, and Pepper rolled her eyes.

"He'd probably love to get his hands on the girl, too." Pepper replied. "Anyway, thanks for looking into it. He'll be happy to have something to tinker with for a bit." Hill nodded and left the room, and Pepper picked up her phone.

... ... ...

When Skye climbed into the SUV, May put it into gear and pulled out of the alleyway. They couldn't have parked it in front of a building with a bunch of security cameras, after all, even if the SHIELD logo had been covered up.

"So far so good. Pepper is going to call me with a time and address to meet." Skye informed her S.O., and May nodded.

"Good." There was a moment of silence. "This probably will make Coulson pretty happy." May admitted, and Skye smiled.

"I hope so."

"I'll tell him that I want to run some tests, practice operations with the Bus, work on some of my maneuvers. That way, I can keep it parked at an abandoned airfield, and he won't have a chance to notice his missing car." May told Skye.

"Oh, that's good. I hadn't even thought of that," Skye bit her lip, frowning at her lack in judgement.

"That's why I'm the superior officer." May said smugly, and Skye rolled her eyes, looking out the window.

... ... ...

The first time Skye drove it (because it _is_ drivable - barely) to Stark's place, he was standing outside with his ever-present bodyguard, Happy.

While Happy was giving Skye the run-down (and a pat down), Stark ogled at the car.

"Get this thing in the basement. Now." He told Happy, who reached for the keys. Skye held them away.

"No." She said, and Tony gave her a look, finally paying attention to her.

"You - you are beautiful," He sounded surprised, but wasn't speaking flirtatiously; just as if he were stating a fact. Skye grinned, but quickly gave Happy a serious look.

"There are some rules." She said firmly, and Tony looked surprised, and folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh? Are there?" He sounded amused, and she looked at him seriously.

"No one touches the car except me, and you." Skye pointed to Tony. Happy looked confused, Tony still surprised. "_No one. Ever._ Got it?" Happy glanced toward Tony, who shrugged and nodded, shoving him back toward the house.

"Understood, I guess." Tony hopped into the passenger seat, running his hand along the dash. Skye closed her eyes, said a quick prayer, and got into the drivers seat again. Happy hesitated, giving them a suspicious look. "Just going to the basement, Kujo. Meet us there." Tony informed his bodyguard as Skye started the engine. "Ugh, that does not sound pretty." Tony told her, and she gave him a wry look.

"That's why I'm here." She said, and she followed Tony's directions toward the garage that led to his basement lab.

"Are these bullet holes? No wonder you're so overprotective. Who let a car like this get into this sort of condition?" Tony wondered, and when Skye parked, he hopped out and walked around the outside of the car, giving it a once over. He gave her one too, as she got out. "And what about Dummy? He's my helper."

"A name like Dummy does not instill much confidence." Skye told him, giving him another look. He squinted at her.

"You know, I used to know someone who gave me that same look all the time. I told him to lighten up all the time. He didn't seem like the 'lighten up' kinda guy."

"Used to know?" Skye asked, shutting the car door. Tony hesitated for a moment.

"He died."

Skye stared at him, willing herself not to give anything away. Hoping her face wasn't saying 'I know exactly who you're talking about'.

"I'm sorry," She said sincerely, and Tony sighed, shrugged, and ran his finger along the fender of the car reverently. _Men and their cars._

"I am too." He said, and then turned quickly, holding his hand out for the keys, a brighter disposition on his face. "Well, hand em over. We'll see what she's got under the hood."

"There are some things I need to tell you..." Skye said as she hands over the keys.

Tony moved around to the hood, popping it open and standing back suddenly.

"It's not just any old car," Skye continued sheepishly, and Tony leaned over around the open hood to look at her with wide eyes. "There's a reason why I asked for you."

"Who the hell are you?" Tony wondered quietly, leaning on his hands to peer closer at the engine block. Skye didn't answer, and leant against a nearby railing, eyeing the lab as she waited on him to finish the general check. "I know this car," Tony stood straight, approaching her with a warning tone in his voice. "I've got the blueprints to this car. I thought it was destroyed." He sounded angry, and Skye held up her hands.

"It was not destroyed. Howard Stark gave this car to the Head of SHIELD." Skye told him, and he scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. This time, however, it was less petulant child and more threatening Avenger.

"And, what, you're going to stand there and tell me you're the Head of SHIELD?" Tony scoffed. "I've met him. You've got one too many eyes to be him. Among other differences." Skye smiled lightly, lowering her hands.

"I'm not the Director of SHIELD," she confirmed, "but I once played a game of poker with someone who worked for him."

"Are you telling me that one of Fury's peons got his car taken from him in a _bet_?"

"He was hoping for a gambit." Skye shrugged, grinning, and Tony just stared at her.

"Alright," He said carefully, looking her straight in the eye, "I'll work on it. If only for the opportunity to really check her out and compare her to the blueprints I have." Skye grinned at him and held her hand out. He shook it, and relaxed some.

"Her name is Lola." Skye told him, and he smiled. He was checking her out, too, but Skye really couldn't find herself to be bothered by that. If he made a pass at her, she'd politely turn him away... probably. _Yes. Yes I would. Because Pepper seems really cool. Also kind of scary._

Plus, she imagined Coulson wouldn't be too happy to find out she'd shacked up with Tony Stark.

... ... ...


	3. Step Three

**A/N: **The truth is always closer than we think...

* * *

Three times a week and over the weekends, Skye went to Stark's place in California to overlook how the repair was going, and to hang out with Stark. He has quickly discovered her aptitude for computers, and treated her like a little sister, showing off his toys and teaching her some things.

He knew that she hadn't been telling the truth in the beginning, about winning the car in a bet, but he played it her way for a while until he figured some things out.

"You're an agent, aren't you." Tony said one day, up to his elbows under the engine, tools and parts scattered around him, grease smeared on exposed skin.

Skye was sitting off to the side, her feet pulled up into the chair and her tablet in her hands. She raised her eyes to look at him, and he knew the answer before she could open her mouth and say something different.

"I knew it. Pretty unconventional, honestly - I wouldn't have expected it." Tony spoke while he worked, as if he weren't _all_ that bothered at finding out her true vocation. "And yeah, I'm not an idiot. I know SHIELD isn't completely destroyed. Not with the Director that I've met."

Skye pursed her lips. _You've no idea how right, and wrong, you are there._

"So he wants to stay on the down low - I get it. Honestly, I never _really_ believed he was dead anyway,"

Skye choked.

"Who the hell could kill Fury and get away with it?" Tony laughed, and went back to work. Skye willed her breathing to normalize. This was stressing her out more than she expected it would.

"So his car got banged up, he wanted it fixed, but still can't bring himself out of hiding yet. So he sent you to do it. I get it - the man doesn't like me much, anyway." Tony peered at her, his head cocked with interest. "Actually, you're the first SHIELD agent to seem to enjoy my company. Unless you're lying. You guys are good at that, too."

Skye knew that he was talking about Romanoff, but all she could think about was Coulson's situation.

"Honestly, I'm kind of new to this thing," Skye admitted. "I used to be a hacker, and also a huge fan of yours, and then SHIELD... recruited... me." Tony raised his eyebrows.

"A hacker? And I'm allowing you in my domain? Jarvis, why didn't you tell me?" Tony demanded.

"I'm sorry sir, but her background check was clean." Jarvis replied, and Skye smirked at Tony rolling his eyes.

"Of course it was _clean_; she's a hacker, for - ugh, Jarvis, remind me to upgrade you."

"Yes, sir." Jarvis spoke as if that were never going to happen, and Tony went back to work on the car.

"So. Huge fan, huh?" Tony grinned at her, and Skye couldn't help but grin back.

"Stop flirting with the consultant, dear." Pepper appeared, bringing along a tray of lunch. She and Skye shared a smile - Pepper knew that Skye was no threat toward her or Tony.

"The Consultant..." Skye mused with a smirk. "I like that."

... ... ...

"Skye, I need you to do some covert digging for me," Coulson said, pulling up some files on his desktop. Literally, the top of his desk. Skye couldn't get over the fact that his _desk_ was a _computer_.

"My specialty," Skye grinned, scooting forward in her seat. Coulson glanced up to quirk his lips with a smile in her direction before returning his attention to his desk. There was still some tension between them since their argument about FitzSimmons - or _whatever_ that argument had been about - but he still handled talking work with her just fine.

"I've been keeping tabs on Stark Enterprises - you can never be too careful with Stark; sometimes he gets in over his head." Coulson began, and Skye froze, smile still on her face.

"You think he's dabbling in weapons again?" Skye asked, hoping that her voice sounded normal.

"No, no," Coulson said with a frown, "He just gets himself into trouble sometimes, and we have to dig him out. Or at least," He smiled wryly, "keep him out of the tabloids." Skye relaxed slightly, trying to appear normal.

"Alrighty. What do you want me to look for, AC?" Skye asked, and Coulson smiled in that particular way he always did these days when she called him 'AC'.

"I've been seeing some mentions in files about meetings with an unknown person. They're only labeled as 'The Consultant', and most of the file is incomplete. There aren't any personnel records on this person, and I know that Maria is extremely careful with the people she vets through."

"The Consultant?" Skye repeated tightly. _Breathe normally._

"Yes," Coulson said, looking back up at her. He sighed. "Skye, are you going to handle checking into Tony Stark for me, or should I find some other hacker to do it?"

"You don't have another hacker." Skye replied immediately, and Coulson gave her a look.

"Don't think I've forgotten about your fascination with Iron Man," He told her, and she gave him a cheeky grin.

"Been thinking about me cosplaying, have you?" She teased him, and when he opened and closed his mouth silently, she stood and held up her tablet. "No worries, boss man. I'll look into it without putting up any red flags. Maria Hill won't even know I've been looking."

She glanced behind her before closing the door, and he was still staring after her with that surprised expression. Her excitement at putting him in a spot faded away as she considered his suspicions.

She'd better have a talk with Maria about creating an alibi for The Consultant.

... ... ...

Skye was working with Jarvis on new security protocols for Stark's place when her phone rang. A jazzy, bluesy version of 'Careless Whisper' was her ringtone, and it put an amused smirk on Tony's face. The look on her face made him even more interested, and he paid closer attention to her.

She looked surprised, then excited, and then very nervous. _Must be a guy_.

"Who is it, Jarvis?" He asked quickly, and his best right-hand man replied,

"Mr. Goodbar, sir."

Skye gave Tony a dirty look.

"Nice try." She said. "Now be quiet. You too, Jarvis. Don't talk." She waited until Tony nodded, and then answered her phone.

"Hey," Coulson sounded relieved.

"Yes?" Skye spoke tersely, formally.

"I...I couldn't find you." Coulson said, surprised and a little thrown off at her tone.

"Is it important?" She asked.

"Um, no, I guess not - "

"It's my day off, sir." Skye interrupted gently, throwing Coulson off once again.

"Is everything alright?" He asked sharply, knowing that she never spoke to him like this. Maybe she was trying to warn him of something.

Skye sighed.

"Everything's fine, I'm just... out." Skye finally said, a little more friendly. Tony's eyebrow was up to his hairline, by this point, and Skye avoided his eyes as she heard Coulson's hesitation over the line.

"Out. As in..."

"Out." Skye confirmed.

"Oh." Coulson was the one who sounded weird, now. "Sorry. I'll ... ask you about it later, then."

He hung up before she could say anything else, and she gave the phone a weird look and slowly put it back into her pocket.

"Boyfriend?" Tony mused, and Skye's scoff sounded a bit more like a choke.

"No. Boss." She said dismissively, returning her attention to his desktop.

"Could be the same thing. I mean, Pepper is technically my boss, if you really think about it."

"Not the same thing." Skye informed him stoically, her attention on the computer in front of her. Tony looked at her for a few minutes longer, shrugged, and returned his attention to the car.

"Do all of your contacts have food nicknames, or is that just some sort of fetish with him?"

"Not my boyfriend, Tony," Skye repeated, calling him Tony because they had reached that point by now, "And not a fetish. Just a name that you wouldn't figure out and have Jarvis run checks on."

"Damn, you're smart." Tony said appreciatively.

... ... ...

"You know, red is a little flashy. Wouldn't he want to blend in a little more? You know, considering he's branded as a terrorist, these days." Tony mentioned one day. Skye gave him a glare that sent chills down his spine.

"Don't you dare touch the paint job. Just fix it." She told him, and he swallowed.

"And I thought I was protective over _my _toys," Tony muttered loudly, and Skye rolled her eyes.

"You fix the car to my specifications, I fix your security. I think that's reasonable, no?" She reminded him, and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. Look - I can fix all of this, don't worry - but a lot of these details aren't in my blueprints..." Tony gave Skye a look. "There's a _lot_ of weaponry in this car. Who drives this? James Bond?"

"He wishes." Skye laughed.

"_You_ wish." Tony retorted, peering at her. She narrowed her eyes at him and returned her attention to the computer. _Score_. Tony grinned.

There was no way that this was Fury's car. Tony knew that Fury and Hill had some weird thing going on (and he tried not to think about that, ever), and he didn't think a woman like Skye would be attracted to an all-work-and-no-play guy like Fury. Plus, gross. Tony couldn't really imagine anyone being attracted to a guy like Fury, but, hey, it takes a special woman, right? And Hill was certainly gung-ho enough to take on Fury.

Okay, too much thinking there. Now to figure out who _Skye_ was taking on.

... ... ...

"Pep, you and Skye talk, right?" Tony said as they lounged in bed. It was late at night, he'd just taken a shower, and she was finishing up reading a file.

"Sure. She's helped me with some of the security measures on my computer in my office." Pepper replied, half-distracted.

"That must be what she does with SHIELD," Tony mused, "It explains why I haven't been able to find _anything_ new since the Big Leak."

"The Big Leak?" Pepper scrunched up her nose, "That sounds gross." Tony grinned.

"That's why I came up with it," He said, turning and pressing his nose against her neck.

"Tony!" She yelped, slapping him with the folder. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her lap. "Why are you asking about Skye?" Pepper asked a few moments later, setting the folder on the bedside table and running her fingers through his hair. He sighed happily, turning onto his back.

"She's intriguing." Tony said thoughtfully, and Pepper's hands paused. He frowned at her.

"Is she?" Pepper wondered, and Tony shook his head.

"Not _that_ intriguing." Tony promised her, and Pepper resumed playing her fingers through his hair. "I just think there's something going on, here. Something we're missing."

"Do you think she's a threat?"

"No, I don't. I think she's an asset, actually." Tony said seriously, and Pepper agreed. Tony's brow furrowed as he thought. "She's pretty young, and not a very high level SHIELD agent, and here she is with a _very_ one-of-a-kind car, and a head full of secrets. She's incredibly gifted, intuitive, and one of the best liars I've met."

"SHIELD agents have always had their secrets," Pepper reminded Tony gently, "That's the point of SHIELD."

"Yes, but I could always figure them out."

"So you're nervous now, because they've found a way to shut you out? You're disappointed you aren't the smartest man in the room anymore?" She teased lightly, and Tony frowned.

"I'd still be the smartest man in the room, I just wouldn't have as much..."

"Fodder?"

"Alright, alright - maybe I'm a bit annoyed that SHIELD is still up and running to this extent and I didn't know about it." Tony admitted, and Pepper patted his shoulder consolingly. "And - don't misunderstand, here; I never would have acted on it - I'm a little disappointed that she's never made a pass at me!"

Pepper laughed, and Tony sat up, an indignant look on his face.

"I mean, she even told me that she had been a big fan! And here she is, practically every day of the week, and I don't even catch her staring at me or anything! Am I getting old? Am I finally losing it?" Tony asked, and Pepper let out a long sigh, resting her hands on either side of his face.

"Allow the woman who sleeps next to you every night to inform you: you are most definitely _not_ losing it," She told him, and he smiled, leaning in to kiss her. She pulled away at the last moment, there noses brushing, and added, "Skye is mature enough to know not to mess with another woman's man,"

"Especially yours," Tony interjected seriously, a look of fear in his eyes.

"And her intentions are set on someone else, anyway."

"I knew it!" Tony leaned back, eyes alight with excitement. Pepper frowned slightly, wondering what in the world was going on with him. "No way a woman wouldn't be doing something like this for just any old guy!"

"Tony... what in the world has you so interested in this woman's love life?" Pepper wondered, partially amused at the way he was acting.

"Because I think her love life involves her boss - and it sure isn't Fury."

"She's a low level agent... her boss doesn't necessarily mean the Director himself," Pepper said, and Tony shook his head.

"The _car_, Pep - the _car_." Tony reminded her, sitting cross-legged in front of her. "It's handed down to the Director's of SHIELD." He was waving his hands in the air with the excitement he usually reserved for when he was trying to explain his projects to her.

"Oh, no," Pepper groaned, "You're going to make this your new project, aren't you."

"Yes!" Tony crowed. "There's a new Director in town, and I'm gonna find out who he is!"

... ... ...


	4. Steps Four and Five

**A/N: **One more after this...

* * *

"Good news!" Tony greeted Skye one day, "Fire her up!" He tossed Skye the keys, and she hesitated. "What?" Tony frowned, holding the car door open for her.

"I've only ever driven her..." Skye bit her lip. "He hadn't shown me how to fly her, yet." Tony raised his eyebrow at her tone of voice.

"Don't worry about flying her. Just hit the thrusters and see how she does." Tony told her, and she was still hesitant as she got in and put the keys in the ignition. "Do you know where the starter is?" He asked, and Skye reached toward the console.

"I remember," She said softly, and Tony shut the door and took a step back, his eyebrows raised with interest.

"Flown in her before, then? Riding shotgun?" He asked, and the look on Skye's face was one he recognized in Pepper.

"Many times. It was one of his persuasive techniques to get me to join SHIELD, too." She said, and Tony grinned.

"Man's smooth," He commented, and Skye grinned as well.

"That he is," She agreed, flicking the switch. Smooth as butter, Lola's wheels turned inward and she lifted up into the air. Skye could feel the engine rumbling through the wheel in her palms. Lola was ready to _go_. Skye smiled widely, adrenalin coursing through her, and she quickly reached for the switch again, lowering Lola back to the ground.

"Wow." She breathed, turning the engine off and stepping out. "You did good, Mr Stark." Tony smiled.

"I've just got some cosmetics to fix up, and she should be good to go. I don't have the supplies to refuel her ammo, but I'm sure you can take care of that back wherever it is you came from." He told her, and she handed the keys back to him.

"That I can do. Thank you, Tony," She told him sincerely. "Seriously. This means a lot." Tony sat against the edge of the desk, gesturing toward the chair.

"This is a surprise for your guy, isn't it?" He asked knowingly, and she let out an odd little laugh as she sat down.

"He's not my guy." She told him, and he studied her.

"You want him to be." He replied, gesturing toward the car. "The designs in this thing... far surpass what my dad had originally created. The guy is smart, and has taste. Unfortunately, I think he's a SHIELD agent, so there's a notch there, but - hey, he seems alright."

"Turns out, guys in suits aren't all that bad," Skye shrugged, and Tony jumped on that,

"He wears a suit?" He noticed her startled look.

"Most agents do." She was defensive. Tony narrowed his eyes, glancing toward the car.

"Do they?" He retorted quickly, and a look of fear passed through her eyes. "Why don't you talk about him?" He resorted to softer tones, trying not to shut her down. "I mean, we've been doing this for about a month now; you're like the little sister I never had. I know you like this guy but you never talk about him. What's up with that?"

Skye looked disappointed, and pained.

"I can't." She said it quietly, and he frowned.

"You can't, or you won't?" He asked.

"I _can't_." She shifted, agitated.

"Look, I know that SHIELD still exists, in some form, and I'm pretty sure Director Fury isn't really dead, or else Maria Hill would be much more of a pain in the ass than she already is. How could anything else - "

"_It's classified_."

Tony stared at her, memories flooding through him. Suspicion coursing along with those memories.

"Skye - " His voice sounded strangled, and she was up and to the door before he could finish.

"I'll be back in a week to pick her up." Skye said, leaving the door open behind her. Tony stared after her.

"Jarvis." Tony said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes, sir?" Jarvis asked.

"Pull up the files on all known SHIELD agents that were directly involved in the Battle of New York." Tony slipped off of the edge of the desk and into the chair, turning it to face the computer screens.

"Sir, I don't think that's a good idea - "

"Jarvis," Tony interrupted with a steely tone, "I haven't had an anxiety attack in months. I'm fine. Now bring up those files."

"Yes, sir." Jarvis sighed in resignation.

... ... ...

"He's not an idiot, Skye." May scolded during Tai Chi two days later. "I told you to be careful about this. You assured me that you would be."

"I know," Skye groaned in frustration, "And I was! Tony figured it out on his own!"

"Stark figured it out because it's written all over your face." May said, and Skye stared at her with wide eyes.

"What - no - "

"Right there," May sighed, relaxing her pose, "Any mention of the man and you get that look on your face." Skye blushed, chagrined. "You hide it well enough, but anyone that knows you can read it for what it is. And you've been spending more than enough time with Stark for him to be able to read you."

"He can't read me _that_ well." Skye immediately responded, and May shook her head.

"He can read you well enough. Just get the car back before he digs too much."

"Alright," Skye said, disappointed in herself. "Don't... don't tell Coulson, please." Skye asked, and May's look softened.

"That's your job," She told Skye softly, before resuming their Tai Chi session.

... ... ...

When Skye nervously knocked on the front door to Stark's place at the end of the week, he opened it himself. He had a tired, drawn look on his face, and the way he looked at her made her stomach drop.

"Come with me, please," He said, and she followed silently as he led her to the lounge. Pepper was sitting there, her feet tucked under her and a tablet in her hands. She looked like she'd been crying. Skye swallowed hard. _Shit_.

"Sit," Tony told her, pointing to one of the chairs across from the couch. He sat next to Pepper, reaching for her hand. Skye wondered what was going on; she didn't expect the both of them to react this way if they found out what she was thinking they had found out.

She sat on the edge of the seat nervously, looking between them. Pepper kept her eyes on the tablet, and Tony looked like he was thinking carefully before he spoke.

"I found something, Skye, and I want you to see it." Tony said, gently pulling the tablet from Pepper's hands. Skye reached toward it carefully, wondering what she was about to see.

There was no way this could be anything about new-SHIELD, or Coulson, because she'd erased everything back when they had fled the Bus... Skye's breath caught in her throat as she read the words across the screen:

Classified Level 10 Communication: T.A.H.I.T.I. Project Supervisor to Director Fury - Final Report

"What..." Her whisper trailed off. She was afraid to press play, but she knew that she had to.

Her hand shook as she pressed the screen, and the face she saw was the last one she ever expected.

"Good morning, Director Fury." His voice was so familiar to her; the one of sad finality. The one that finally admitted out loud that SHIELD had fallen, that one of their own had betrayed them. "I regret to inform you that I'm handing in my resignation."

_What? _She couldn't comprehend all the questions running through her mind. They spun faster and faster around her as she continued to watch the video, and it took every ounce of her being not to move on that chair, not to show any reaction to the video other than simple curiosity.

"I can no longer in good conscience allow the testing to continue." All of her questions solidified to one repeating word, _What._

"I understand that you started the program to potentially save a mortally wounded Avenger, but the side effects... are too extreme." _What what what._

"... To be clear, I'm recommending the termination of Project T.A.H.I.T.I. Under no circumstances should these procedures or drugs be administered to anyone. Ever. The cost is far too great."

The transmission ended, and Skye tried to remember all that May had taught her. _Deep breaths. Breathe slowly. Focus._

"What... what was that?" Skye asked truthfully, handing the tablet back to Tony. He watched her carefully as he spoke.

"That was Agent Phil Coulson. Apparently, working on a secret project involving the Avengers. Involving me and my team." Tony sounded angry. "A project that involved _regeneration_."

"But... that's not possible, right?" Skye asked, and Tony regarded her with a long look.

"You tell me." He said stonily, and she blinked at him.

"I don't - "

"You heard what he said - those procedures were for a mortally wounded Avenger. _Mortally_ wounded. And he mentioned memory replacement - don't you see? _That's _what they'd done to _him_." Tony said, and Pepper sucked in a breath, and Tony took her hand in his.

Skye looked bewildered, and she wasn't completely faking it.

"Phil was our friend. The agent in charge of the Avengers Initiative. He saved my life more than once. Saved Tony's too, though Tony won't admit it. Skye... he died, in the Battle of New York." Pepper said, and Tony closed his eyes for a moment when she mentioned the battle. "But he didn't stay dead, did he? He's alive, isn't he? And they did ... this... to him?"

Skye stared at them both with wide eyes.

"Skye..." Tony sighed quietly. "I have his fingerprints on file, from when he visited my house from time to time."

"You _fingerprinted _the _car_?" Skye exclaimed, and Tony managed to relax and tense up at the same time.

"Only just now!" He argued, and then he pointed his finger at her. "That's Phil's car, isn't it? He's _alive_, isn't he?" Tony spoke sternly, and Skye swallowed.

"Listen," She began, but Pepper interrupted her.

"We just want to know if he's alive," Pepper interjected sincerely. "According to this transmission, the procedures had to be... extensive."

"Especially knowing what had happened to him..." Tony muttered, looking off to the side. Pepper squeezed his hand and continued.

"He probably doesn't remember anything, so we can't hold it against him that he hasn't told us, but..." Pepper stifled a sob, and Skye gave her a confused look. "He was a good friend, Skye." Pepper genuinely cared about him, and Skye sighed.

Turns out Coulson left more behind than he'd probably thought. Skye knew she had to keep the secret, though. Even if Tony did have forensic proof. Skye couldn't say the words aloud. She couldn't.

"_Agent_ Coulson is... dead." _Okay, that was even harder to say._ Tony frowned, and Skye continued quickly, "Perhaps one day you can meet the _Director_ of SHIELD and talk with him about what went down in New York." Skye gave him a look, and a look of dawning crossed his face.

"The Director... he's a busy guy. He's trying to figure out his own past, he's trying to rebuild SHIELD, he's trying to make it better. But he's also gotta weed out the bad guys. And he's gotta keep the good guys safe in the process." Skye explained, and Tony relaxed, appearing to be less angry. "When the time comes... I'll make sure he sees you." Skye promised them. "In the meantime, all I can do is thank you profusely for helping me with the car. And ask for your discretion."

Tony and Pepper both nodded.

"I deleted the new set of prints and wiped the car down for you," Tony told her, and Pepper leaned forward, taking Skye's hand in hers. Skye looked at her with surprise.

"Do you play the cello?" Pepper wondered, and Skye tensed.

"No," She said, and Pepper looked regretful.

"I'm sorry... he just ... had someone, _before_, you know..." Pepper said, and Skye shrugged and nodded.

"I know. He's told me about her. It caused him a lot of pain for a while, that's all." Skye told her, explaining her reaction. Pepper smiled a little in understanding.

"You really care about him, don't you," Pepper said, and while Skye tried to come up with a safe answer, Tony scoffed,

"Um, hello, _the car_."

"Speaking of," Skye said, wanting to pull the subject away from how she felt about the Director, "Can I pull her round front?" Tony nodded and pulled the keys from his pocket. He held them away from her for a second when she reached out to grab them.

"Answer me this: does he let you call him Phil?" Tony demanded, and Pepper scoffed and shoved at him, standing up. Skye followed suit, and Tony stood quickly to urge Skye to answer.

"No," Skye said, and Tony looked disappointed. "I call him AC." She added with a smile, and Tony scrunched up his nose.

"That's even worse." He said, and Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Tony. Give her the keys." Pepper ordered him, and as if he just remembered that they were still in his hand, he handed them off to Skye. He leaned down to whisper in her ear when she took them,

"If this doesn't get you laid, I'm giving you ten thousand bucks."

Skye stared at him with wide eyes, and he gave her a serious nod.

... ... ...

"May." Skye called her S.O. "I've got the car, and I'm headed back to the Bus now."

"Good. Coulson called me. He's wondering where you are. Have you spoken with him?" May asked, and Skye frowned as she shifted the car into higher gear.

"No... He hardly talks to me outside of meetings anymore." Skye said, realizing how right she was once she said it aloud. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't really spoken to her as much since he had called her that one time while she was still at Stark's.

"Not you, too," May sighed. "I'm glad that car is finally finished. If he's shutting you out, we need to resort to desperate measures."

Skye wasn't sure what to say to that.

"Come up to the cockpit once you've arrived." May instructed her, and then hung up. Skye sighed heavily, resting her hands on the polished steering wheel of the car.

This car really _was _a beautiful machine. Skye couldn't help but think of Tony's comment, and bit her lip.

"In my dreams, right, Lola?" She asked the car, and the engine just continued to purr.

When Skye made certain the car was secured in the loading bay, she closed the door and made her way to the cockpit. May had registered the door closing, so already had the plane ready for liftoff by the time Skye had her seatbelt hooked.

"I'm going to tell the guys we're having a game night, tonight. Keep Simmons out of the Bus' lab for you." May told Skye, and the younger woman looked up in confusion.

"What?" She asked, and May gave her a look.

"Where do you think Stark got that video, Skye?" May asked her softly, and Skye widened her eyes.

"_You_ - "

"I was the one who found it, and I showed it to Coulson. I had hoped that he had showed it to you, as well, since you're in this just as much as he is, now." May sounded frustrated, like her favorite child had disappointed her. "Clearly, he hasn't said a word of this to anyone." May looked her in the eyes. "The two of you have a lot of things to talk about. _Both_ of you."

Skye looked down, ashamed.

"Ward and I are a perfect example of why relationships with other agents is a bad idea." May said dryly, but after a hesitation she continued in a softer tone, "It took me a while to figure it out, but sometimes it's worth it." Skye looked at her in surprise. "I was married once."

"_What_." Skye couldn't help but interrupt. May gave her a wry look, but continued.

"We met on the field. We worked together for a while before we decided to take things further. And we were married for a handful of years before... things went south." May clenched her jaw, pushing the memories away. Skye was curious, but knew better than to push. She was surprised May had told her even this much. May looked at her again, imploring her. "It's worth it, Skye. You are a pain in my ass, but I'm a fan of Coulson being happy. And for whatever reason, you make him happy."

Skye wasn't sure what to say in response to this, either.

"So. I'll gather the team in the lounge, Koenig included, and you show Coulson his surprise. Take your time. But don't take too much time. Because you don't know how much you have."

"Wow." Skye breathed, and May shifted in her seat, stoic look on her face once more.

"If you tell anyone any part of this conversation, I will skin you alive." May warned her in her classic 'May' tone of voice, and Skye nodded quickly.

"No one would believe me, anyway." She assured her S.O.

... ... ...


	5. The Final Step

**A/N: **Thanks for reading :-) I'll try not to get too distracted from now on... I need to focus back on the big one again.

* * *

"AC?" Skye knocked on his open door, and he looked up from his desk. He looked exhausted, but pleased to see her. When she stepped into the room, his pleased looked turned into something else... something more like disappointment. That passed quickly too, and then he just looked like his usual pasted-on-smile-Coulson.

"Skye. What can I do for you?" He asked, leaning back into his chair. She closed the door behind her and stepped up carefully to his desk. He frowned slightly, wondering why she had shut the door. She sat in the chair across from him, perched on the edge.

"What happened in TAHITI?" Skye asked him quietly, and his eyes widened slightly as he looked at her.

"We've... talked about this. It was... it wasn't human." Coulson told her carefully, and she shook her head.

"Had you seen anything like it before?" She asked him, and he leaned his head to the side questioningly.

"I told you before; it was all brand new to me." He started to sound suspicious, and Skye closed her eyes.

"Do you remember _now_, though?" She asked him quietly. At his prolonged silence, she opened her eyes. "Has your memory returned since our last conversation about it? Because it's been a while, Coulson, since we've talked about it." Skye started to sound accusatory, but she couldn't help it. Coulson looked guilty.

"I'm sorry about that... I've wanted to talk more about it, but I've been so preoccupied with trying to rebuild SHIELD," Skye knew that he was telling her the truth, but he wasn't telling her the _whole_ truth.

"During that talk, were you going to show me the Level Ten communication between you and Fury?" Skye asked him, and he looked at her as if she had just punched him in the face.

Then he looked furious.

"Did you _hack_ into - " He began to accuse, and then she felt tears welling up in her eyes, because she couldn't go through this with him _again_, not with all the feelings of everyone else's betrayal hanging over them, not when the two of them were the only two they could really trust.

"No!" She interrupted, angry at herself for allowing a few tears to fall. "No, I didn't _hack_ into anything, alright? I wouldn't _do_ that to you - not _now_. You _know_ that!" She swiped at her face, frustrated, and Coulson looked immediately regretful, and stood quickly, moving to the chair next to her. He sat there and leaned forward, brushing his thumb across her cheek.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry." He kept his hand on her cheek, which was different than the last time they'd been in this sort of position, and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I didn't mean to see it. I _swear_ I didn't." That part was true, anyway. She sniffed, and he nodded, believing her. He looked pained, and pulled his hand away, looking down at the floor. Ashamed. Skye reached out and snagged his hand in her own, holding it tightly.

"When I saved you, and I told you that I had heard you screaming... You told me that it wasn't real. That they were messing with your head." Skye told him, more control over her emotions now. "I had thought you were talking about Raina and the machine. But you weren't, were you?" Coulson's eyebrows furrowed, and he looked back up to her slowly. "You were talking about SHIELD. _SHIELD_ had been messing with your head."

Coulson closed his eyes, and Skye reached for his other hand as well, so she could hold both of them in her own.

"AC," She whispered, "AC." She watched a tear roll down his cheek.

"I don't remember any of that, Skye," He said hoarsely, his eyes still tightly shut. "I was supervising these horrible procedures and experimenting on people and administering drugs with horrible side effects... Was that really the kind of man that I was?"

"No," Skye said firmly, squeezing his hands. He opened his eyes to look at her, and she was overwhelmed at the vulnerability he allowed her to see. "No, you're not that man. You never were that man. You had told Fury to end the project, you sent him your resignation."

"But I was on the helicarrier... I was still in charge of the Avengers Initiative. He hadn't accepted my resignation. And clearly," Coulson scowled, "He hadn't accepted my advice to end the project, either."

"I'm glad," Skye said, and he stared at her.

"You have the drug in your system, too!" He reminded her, and she shrugged. He gave her an astounded look, and she spoke before he could,

"All that matters now, is that you're alive. I'm alive. I'm not angry with you for being the supervisor of project TAHITI, I'm angry with you for hiding that video from me." Skye informed him, and his brow furrowed again.

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "I just... I wasn't sure how to tell you. When to show you. I ... didn't want you to hate me." He admitted, and Skye squeezed his hands again.

"I could never hate you, AC," Skye promised him, and that seemed to relax him. "And I'm angry at Fury for making such a stupid, dangerous decision." Skye added, and Coulson chuckled lightly.

"I had a conversation with him about that part." Coulson told her, and she gave him a small smile. "Aren't you worried about the repercussions? I mean, I seem alright - but you didn't have any memory replacement. Aren't you terrified of what might happen?" He was asking her, but she knew that he was also telling her how he felt about it. How he was terrified that something might happen to her. Skye gazed at him softly and lifted her hand to his cheek, wiping away the remnants of the tear that had fallen down his face. He seemed to lean into her touch, still giving her that worried look.

"I also didn't experience the pain you did." She reminded him softly. "If it makes you feel any better, I haven't grown a tail or anything, so double points there." Coulson smirked a little at the old joke, and Skye brushed her thumb across the corner of his mouth, tracing the lines there. His expression turned serious.

"Skye," He said quietly, and when his gaze became too intense she pulled her hand away, reaching into her pocket.

"If something happens, we'll worry about it when the time comes. Let's not waste our time worrying about something that may never happen. Just promise me this - let's not hide from one another any more. Particularly about this serum stuff." Skye asked him, and he nodded.

"No more hiding." He promised, and Skye stood, pulling the key out of her pocket. Coulson watched her curiously, standing up as well.

"I have a gift for you," Skye told him softly, holding the key out. He looked at it questioningly, taking it from her.

"Lola's key? Where... it's usually in my desk." Coulson sounded slightly suspicious, and Skye touched his elbow, gesturing toward the door.

"Sorry, once a thief, always a thief." Skye teased, and Coulson looked scared for a moment. She squeezed his arm gently, opening the office door as she led the way into the hall. "Don't worry," She said soothingly. "Do you trust me?"

He looked at her seriously before answering.

"More than anyone."

As overwhelmed as Skye was with that answer, she kept her cool and didn't trip or anything as they walked together down the hall.

"If your 'gift' is me taking Lola out for a joy ride, I'm afraid that's not a good idea. She's still in pretty rough shape ..." Coulson sounded disappointed, as if all he wanted to do right now was go for a drive. Skye grinned to herself, trying not to start dancing with excitement.

When they entered the hangar, it was empty as promised, and the Bus' loading door was lowered to the ground. Lola was still inside, but she could tell even from here that the car was shining like brand new.

"What..." Coulson wondered, walking forward as if in a trance. He stared at his car in wonder, his mouth slightly open. Skye grinned as she watched him.

He approached carefully, reaching out and touching the rear quarter panel reverently. As if finally believing that it wasn't a hologram or something, he pressed his palm against the car and ran it along the side, letting out a sigh.

Needless to say, Skye was feeling a little jealous of a car, which was something she had never expected she would feel.

"Oh, she's _classy_," Coulson murmured, and Skye wasn't sure that he had wanted her to hear that. She pretended she didn't. He walked around the entire car, checking every detail. Eventually, he looked up to Skye. "How...?" His hand was still on the top of the door, and Skye smiled at him.

"Don't mind me. I don't want to ruin your _moment_." Skye teased him, and he gave her a look. His eyes were all smile, though, and she beamed. _That_ was the face she had been missing. His smiling eyes.

"How does she run?" He asked breathily, and Skye gestured toward the car.

"You've got the key." She reminded him, and he didn't hesitate to open the door and slide in. She watched him touch repaired areas of the car; the gear shift, the rearview mirror, the dashboard. His hands settled on the wheel, and he slid a palm across it lovingly.

"Like brand new," He murmured, and looked back toward her. "Join me." He said, and waited until she slid into the seat next to him before starting the car. The engine started beautifully, and he sat there with his hands on the wheel, just listening and feeling. Skye looked at him, enjoying the joy that she saw on his face.

"How?" He asked again, looking toward her.

"A woman never tells her secrets." Skye told him with a small smile. He looked at the car for another moment.

"When I'd called you that one day, and you said you were out..."

"I was working on Lola," Skye confirmed, and Coulson turned back toward her with a look of relief on his face. Skye looked at him curiously.

"I was worried..."

"That I had been kidnapped?" She said dubiously.

"I thought you were on a date."

"What's wrong with that?" She asked, a little miffed.

"It wasn't with me."

Oh. _Oh._

"Oh." Skye said.

"So... wanna take her for a test flight?" Coulson asked, sounding certain and timid all at once. Skye stared at him, and he began to look uncomfortable.

"I - "

"_Hell_ yes." Skye breathed, staring at him. He stared back, making sure he had heard her right. When she thought he was hesitating too long, she leaned toward him and planted her lips against his.

He made a sort of falling noise in the back of his throat, and then his hand moved from the steering wheel to the back of her neck, and he was kissing her with all certainty.

"Why don't we save that flight for after the stars come out?" Skye whispered between gasps as Coulson's lips moved toward her neck. He froze, pulling away from her.

"Really?" He said, surprised, and Skye nodded.

"Meet you in your office?" She said cheekily, glancing toward the stairs that led toward the rest of the plane. Coulson swallowed, shutting the engine off.

"Let me go make sure my bed is still there," He said, his tone dark and his voice hitching on the word 'bed'. Skye grinned and nodded, kissing him firmly before he got out of the car. She stepped out as well, and leaned back toward the glove compartment as Coulson disappeared up the stairs.

"C'mon, Tony, you can't have changed _that_ much..." Skye grinned when she popped open the compartment, a pile of small square packages sliding out. She shoved them all back inside and grabbed one, laughing. She slipped it into her pocket and shut the door, making an internal reminder to send Tony Stark a thank you note.

Guess she wasn't going to get that ten thousand dollars after all, but she wasn't really complaining.


	6. Epilogue

**A/N: **I wrote an epilogue, because this idea popped into my head, and I'm much too distracted to write a whole separate fic involving... well, you'll see. :)

* * *

They were driving down the road in the early morning, the top down to let in the light of the sunrise.

"I can't believe you thought it was okay to have _Tony Stark_ put his hands on Lola," Coulson said again, shaking his head. Skye sighed, reaching over to pat his leg.

"I can't believe it took you that long to even ask about it." She replied, and he glanced at her.

"Well," He admitted, "Stark did a good job." He noticed that she hadn't removed her hand from his thigh, and he glanced at her again, with raised eyebrows. "And I trust you. I figured you wouldn't have gone to some shop in a back alley or anything."

"You know that's what gave it away, right?" She removed her hand from his leg to poke his arm, and then shifted to lean her back against her door, facing him. He pretended not to miss the loss of contact. "That trust with the car. Everyone and _their mother_ knows that you don't trust anyone with Lola." Coulson grimaced, then smirked at her.

"And you knowing that fixing her up would pull me out of the hole I was putting myself into," He replied, and she shook her head.

"Everyone knew that." She told him.

"Maybe. But _you_ had the courage to do it." He pointed out.

"The stupidity, maybe," She mumbled, and his grin was decidedly dirtier.

"Was the end outcome really so terrible?" He asked, and she rolled her eyes, leaning toward him to kiss his cheek.

"I suppose not," She mused, settling back into her seat. Her hand returned to his thigh, and he smiled, resting his hand on top of hers.

"Thank you for doing this with me," He said after a few minutes. "And thanks for not pushing it." Skye twisted her hand around to lace her fingers through his.

"There was a reason I didn't want you to know, at first. I didn't do this to try and force you to see them again. Trust me, I know how hard that can be," She told him, and he squeezed her hand. "And I knew that once I did tell you, you'd probably still give it some time. Cuz that's what you do, AC. You think before you act. Me, I'm a little more impulsive…"

He raised his eyebrow at her, and she grinned.

"Think Trip's still whining about washing his eyes out with soap?" She mused, and Coulson chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"Two months, and nothing, and then for no reason you just decide to jump me in my office…"

"Hey, _you_ were giving me _those eyes_. Don't blame it all on me."

"You could have at least remembered to lock the door."

"Trip could at least know to knock before barging into rooms."

"Oh, he's been very careful about that, since then. He's only just started to look me in the eyes again when he's speaking to me." Coulson told her, and she laughed.

After a few more minutes, he pulled off onto a side road, and gave her a somber look.

"I feel a lot better doing this with you here," He told her, and she held his hand tightly.

"They'll be happy to see you. Trust me." Skye told him, and he swallowed and nodded.

The front gate opened automatically as they approached, and Skye watched Coulson's face carefully as they approached the house. He seemed surprised by the trees surrounding the drive, and the yard in the front. The entryway had a small fountain in the center of the roundabout, and for whatever reason, he seemed to relax at the sight of it.

"There are some differences I can see already," Coulson admitted, "but it's still what I expect from Tony Stark." He sounded relieved.

Happy was standing waiting for them, and offered Skye a big smile. She got out of the car and gave him a hug.

"Hello, Skye. It's good to see you again. It's been a while, hasn't it?" He said, and Skye smiled back.

"Almost four months," She agreed. "Happy, this is,"

"I know who this is," Happy interrupted pleasantly, holding his hand out toward Coulson as he approached. Coulson seemed shy, but shook his hand. Happy pulled him in for a hug, surprising him, but Coulson returned the gesture. "Agent Coulson." Happy took a step back and just looked at him. "It has been… _quite_ a while." Coulson smiled slightly, and Happy grinned.

"Mr. Hogan," Coulson said with a nod, and Happy's grin widened, apparently pleased that Coulson hadn't forgotten his name.

"C'mon. They're waiting inside." Happy gestured for them to follow him, and he led the way to the door. He held it open for them, an excited look on his face. "There's someone you're going to _love_ to meet," He said to Skye, and she furrowed her brow. Before she could ask, he hurried ahead of them to announce their presence.

Skye felt Coulson hesitate, and she reached down for his hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers, and she pulled him to a stop, forcing him to face her. She put her other hand against his cheek.

"No one is forcing you to do this." She told him. "If you don't feel comfortable – "

"I'll never feel comfortable about this." Coulson told her softly. "But it needs done. I want to do it," He assured her, and she peered into his eyes for a moment before nodding.

"Alright." She said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. The corners of his mouth quirked up into a small smile, but his eyes still held the worry and nervousness she knew he was feeling. "Let's go," She tugged lightly on his hand, smiling at him, and he followed her willingly.

When they stepped into the lounge, Pepper and Tony first noticed Skye, and both their faces lit up with smiles. Their eyes quickly drifted to the man beside her, and both of them stared.

There was a long, awkward silence, and Happy mumbled something before disappearing. Skye squeezed Coulson's hand again, lightly pulling him toward the chairs across from the couch Tony and Pepper were occupying.

"Hi Tony," Skye said softly, and he shook himself, standing and leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"Heya, sister. Long time no see," He was genuinely happy to see her, but his eyes quickly drifted back to Coulson. Coulson shifted uncomfortably, squeezing Skye's hand subconsciously in his nervousness. He finally glanced toward Pepper, and that seemed to break her spell.

"Phil?" She wondered quietly, and he attempted to offer her a smile.

"Hello, Ms. Potts." He greeted her softly, and she smiled, standing up and reaching out to hug him. Skye respectfully took a step back to give them some space, sliding her hand free from Coulson's. He hugged Pepper in return, though he still looked a little awkward about it, and she wiped tears from her eyes as she pulled away.

"Please, Phil, you know you can call me Pepper," She told him, and then bit her lip. "Well, I suppose you might not remember…" Coulson gave her a confused look, but then Tony stepped forward and clasped Coulson's hand in his own.

"Phil, you son of a gun. I'd be mad at you, but I'm afraid I've passed that stage already. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd reached acceptance by the time your girl showed up with your car." Tony teased, gripping Coulson's shoulder with his other hand. Coulson smiled at him.

"I'm going to be honest; it's weird to mean it when I say it's good to see you, Mr. Stark." Coulson said, and Tony laughed, shaking his head at him.

"I told you," Tony said to Skye, "You're the only SHIELD agent who appreciates me." Skye rolled her eyes and smiled at him, and he stepped away to give Coulson some space. "So." Tony peered at Coulson, sizing him up. "Life Model Decoy?"

"What?" Coulson spluttered. "No,"

"Hm, didn't think so. Blood was too real." Tony thought, and Coulson stared at him. "Clone?"

"Those capabilities don't exist," Coulson told him calmly, settling in one of the chairs when Pepper indicated they all relax. Skye sat perched on the edge of hers, a little anxious.

"But regeneration does," Tony pointed out, and Coulson froze. Skye even heard his breathing stop, and she clenched her jaw.

She stared at an empty spot on the floor, seeing in her peripheral vision him turn toward her slowly.

"Does it?" He asked carefully, and Skye refused to look at him. Tony caught on, and leaned forward.

"Don't get mad at her, it's not her fault." Tony intervened. "I don't think she knew about it until _I_ showed _her_, actually."

"So you know about TAHITI." Coulson said, defeated, and Tony looked carefully at Pepper.

"We know that there was some sort of project going on… research, in case one of the team got hurt." Tony said, and Pepper nodded along. "Except, _you_ were the one that got hurt. My question is, though – why didn't anyone tell us? Afterward. After it was all over, why didn't anyone let us know that you hadn't actually died?"

Coulson struggled for a moment with how to explain it to them, and then he just opted for the truth. The truth that he knew so far, anyway.

"I _had_ actually died." Coulson said seriously, quietly.

Skye observed that it was nothing like the way he used to talk about it; like it had been a rite of passage. He used to weave tales and make it all sound so cool – but now it sounded more like a horror story.

"I was dead for days," Coulson admitted, and Tony frowned.

"That's not possible. Once your brain is without oxygen for a certain period of time… it's just not _possible_." Tony said, staring at Coulson, who shrugged lightly.

"I agree with you." He said simply, and Skye reached for his hand again. He looked down, weaving their fingers together, pulling some strength from that. When he looked back toward his two old friends, his appeared more sure.

"There was a lot I didn't know, in the beginning. There was a lot that they were lying to me about." He sounded a little angry, and Skye stroked her thumb across his in a calming manner. "It makes more sense, now. Some of it does, anyway."

Coulson explained about Fury being suspicious of double-agents in the ranks, even years ago. How Fury had been planning for a _long_ time in case Hydra decided to take over, and how Coulson had apparently always been a part of that plan. Coulson had been one of the few people that Fury still trusted, and when he had said that it wasn't an option for Coulson to die, he had _meant_ it.

Skye watched as the three of them grew more comfortable in one another's presence as Coulson spoke, and her own anxiety drifted away. Coulson seemed far less nervous, sharing his frustration with SHIELD, with two people who understood. Two more people that he could add to his small list of trustworthy friends.

"So… do you know anything about the procedures they performed on you?" Tony wondered, and Coulson and Skye glanced at one another.

"Not really." Coulson said, and Tony narrowed his eyes slightly, looking toward Skye.

"Do _you_ know something?" He asked her, and she shook her head.

"No more than he knows." She answered truthfully. Tony nodded slowly, leaned back against the couch, and just stared at the two of them.

"I'm sorry – we should celebrate this. I'm getting champagne." Pepper hopped up, moving toward the bar.

"I probably shouldn't," Coulson told her, watching as she gathered four glasses and a bottle of champagne. She set them all on a tray and carried them over to the coffee table. "Being the Director kind of entails that I'm constantly on duty," He said, sounding a bit disappointed, and Tony scoffed.

"I don't think that's ever stopped Fury, before," He said, accepting a glass from Pepper and giving her a quick kiss.

"I'm trying to do things a little differently, now," Coulson replied dryly, and Tony made a show of eyeing Skye and Coulson's clasped hands as he took a sip of his drink.

"I can see that." He mused, and Skye accepted her drink from Pepper, shooting Tony a look.

Coulson accepted the offered glass from Pepper anyway, though didn't take a drink. Pepper settled next to Tony, and he rested his hand on her knee as he wiggled his eyebrows toward Skye.

"So. Do I owe you ten grand, or what?" He asked, and Skye bit her lip, pulling her hand away from Coulson and looking at the floor again. "Well?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow, and Skye felt herself blushing.

"No," She finally said lightly, "You don't." She glanced up at him, failing at her attempts to hide her grin, and Tony looked surprised. Coulson looked suspicious.

"Is there something illegal going on?" Coulson asked, and Tony grinned.

"Not unless there's some sort of SHIELD protocol against that sort of thing," He mused, and Pepper smacked his arm. "But like you said," He continued, winking toward Skye, "You want to do things a little differently. So I guess old SHIELD rules wouldn't matter anymore, anyway."

"SHIELD doesn't exactly exist anymore. Not in the same way." Coulson admitted, and Tony nodded, raising his glass toward them.

"Oh, I'm aware of that _now_." He pretended to sound perturbed, and Coulson looked pleased at his frustration. "So," Tony said to Skye, "you take the suit away from the man, and what is he?" Coulson raised his eyebrows toward Tony in surprise, as Skye pretended to think.

"Sexy." She finally said with a nod, and Coulson quickly turned toward her, his brow furrowing. She was giving him _that look_, and he turned forward, staring at the window behind Pepper and Tony.

They seemed to be waiting for his reaction. He pressed his lips together, then lifted the champagne glass and took a drink.

Tony let out a cheer, leaning forward to offer Skye a high five. She returned the gesture, with some embarrassment.

"Tony, you'll wake him!" Pepper admonished, smacking Tony again. Skye frowned, about to ask who she was talking about, and then they heard a faint crying. "Sorry," Pepper sighed, looking embarrassed. "I'll be right back." She stood and disappeared up the stairs, and Skye raised her eyebrows toward Tony.

"Is that a _baby monitor_?" She asked, noticing the small device sitting on the counter at the bar. Tony shrugged, offering her a timid smile. "As in, a _baby_?" Skye exclaimed, and Tony nodded hesitantly.

"You guys have a baby?" Coulson wondered, a soft smile on his face, and Tony nodded, looking proud.

"Yeah, and I think I'm doing great so far. I even used that line about watching him drool on the floor while I watch Supernanny." Tony said excitedly, and Coulson laughed. Skye looked at them with surprise, not catching Tony's reference but impressed that he got a real laugh out of Coulson. "Except, I actually like How It's Made, better, but you know."

"He's only two months old, dear; he has no idea what you're saying." Pepper informed Tony as she returned to the room, a bundle in her arms. Tony smiled and set his glass down, stretching his arm out behind her as she settled beside him on the couch.

"Two months?" Skye wondered. "How did I not notice that you were pregnant?" Pepper looked a little guilty.

"Well, I was seven months along while you were here, wasn't showing too much yet, and…" She hesitated. "Once we had a suspicion of who the owner of the car was – "

"Who your man was," Tony interrupted, earning an incredulous look from Coulson.

"We weren't sure how to tell you." Pepper admitted.

"Um," Coulson began.

"What do you mean?" Skye asked.

"I'm not – " Coulson tried again, and Skye put her hand on his knee.

"Shut up, AC, where do you think I got that condom, anyway?" Skye interrupted him, her attention focused on the other two.

Coulson looked chagrined, and the tips of his ears turned bright red. Tony grinned widely.

"Why were you unsure about telling me?" Skye asked again, and Pepper turned the little bundle in her arms so they could see the boy's face. Tony reached down and the baby wrapped his hand around his father's finger.

"Because…" Pepper looked nervously back up toward Coulson, "We named him Phil."

All emotion fell away from Coulson's face, and he just stared at her. He opened his mouth as if he were about to speak, but nothing came out, and his eyes dropped to the baby.

"You…" He said quietly, and Skye smiled.

"You named him after AC," She said softly, and Tony nodded.

"Would you like to hold him?" He asked Coulson, and Coulson blinked.

"Um," He said again, nervous, and Pepper stood, moving toward him.

"It's okay," She said, "He hasn't picked up Tony's personality yet." This made Coulson smirk, and he held his arms out for Pepper to nestle the baby against him. She stepped back and watched with a smile as the two Phil's stared at one another with wonder.

"You look like a natural," Skye teased him lightly, and he brushed his finger gently across the baby's head.

"You named him Phil," Coulson said unbelievably.

"He was born early. His little heart wasn't beating, and let me tell you, that was scary. But then everything was alright, and he was quite demanding right on out." Tony explained, continuing with a small smile, "He deserved the name." Coulson gave him a serious look.

"I'm honored." He said, and Tony nodded at him.

"So are we."

And Skye knew that he meant more than just the namesake of his child. He was talking about all of them, the Avengers, honored by Coulson's sacrifice.

Coulson looked down at baby Phil again, to hide the emotion in his face, and Skye reached over to touch his elbow.

"May I?" She asked, glancing toward Pepper, who nodded.

"Oh absolutely." She said, and Coulson nodded, carefully slipping the baby into Skye's arms.

She'd never actually held a newborn in her arms before, and she felt a little terrified, but she also felt safer that she was sitting down, and held him close against her. He looked up at her, his eyes still bright blue, and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face.

"He even looks like you, a little bit," She told Coulson, staring at the baby in her arms.

"Thin hair and all," Coulson snarked, at the same time Tony said,

"See, I always found it suspicious that he let you call him _Phil_…"

Pepper laughed and punched Tony's arm. He flinched and held the wounded spot, looking over at her.

"My friends call me Phil," Coulson said to Tony, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I know, I know. Just teasing." He trailed off, and then perked up. "Hey, Skye, do you – "

"That's classified." Skye interrupted, continuing to look at baby Phil, making cooing faces at him. She glanced up at Coulson, and he was watching her with a proud look in his eyes.

"Uh-huh," Tony said, watching the two of them.

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**A/N.2: **Also, I can't get enough of the Tony/Skye relationship.


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